DOI: https://doi.org/10.36347/sajp.2024.v13i08.003

Pages: 372-376

Plant bioactive compounds possess the potential to function as antioxidants, which makes interest in the use of ethnomedicine for treatment or prevention of diseases associated with oxidative stress to be growing. This study evaluated the flavonoid contents, total phenolics and in vitro antioxidant activity of Platycerium bifurcatum leaf extract. The free radical scavenging activity was determined using diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and nitric oxide assay, and the reducing power by ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and the total antioxidant capacity assays. The total phenolics content of the extract was 4.7 ± 0.56 mg GAE/g extract and flavonoid contents of the extract was 46.73 ± 2.03 mg QE/g extract. The extarct exhibited a dose dependent nitric oxide and DPPH free radical scavenging capacity, which showed a strong correlation between the antioxidant activity and the flavonoid contents and total phenolics. The appreciable amount of flavonoid contents, total phenolics and its strong antioxidant properties suggested that Platycerium bifurcatum is a promising source of novel lead antioxidants and could be utilized in the treatment of oxidative stress mediated cardiovascular disease like hypertensive and obesity